Employment
Unpaid childcare
About this topic
Unpaid childcare records whether people aged 15 years and over spent time looking after a child without pay, including their own children and other people's children. It reflects the role of parents, grandparents, extended family, and community networks in caring for children.
This topic helps show how childcare is supported outside the paid care sector and can highlight the role of family-based care. It is best interpreted with household type, employment, and income, because unpaid childcare patterns are shaped by family structure, work arrangements, and access to formal childcare.
Interpretation notes
- This records unpaid childcare in the previous two weeks for people aged 15 years and over, including care for a person's own children and other children.
- It identifies whether childcare was provided, not the number of hours or whether care was regular, occasional, or shared with formal services.
Related topics
Key insight
In 2021, provided Unpaid Child Care (All) was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in West Arnhem (R), accounting for 54.9% (2,611 people). This share was higher than Regional NT (36.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in cared For Other Child Ren, which increased by 407 people and 7.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Unpaid childcare
West Arnhem (R) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises unpaid childcare for West Arnhem (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional NT and change since 2016.
Chart view
Unpaid childcare snapshot
2021 distribution by category for West Arnhem (R), with comparison markers for Regional NT.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
2021 count
2,611
% of total
54.9%
Change from 2016
+4.9pp
2,611
54.9%
+4.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
2021 count
765
% of total
16.1%
Change from 2016
-4.9pp
765
16.1%
-4.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
2021 count
1,287
% of total
27.0%
Change from 2016
+7.7pp
1,287
27.0%
+7.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
2021 count
564
% of total
11.9%
Change from 2016
+2.2pp
564
11.9%
+2.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
2021 count
1,738
% of total
36.5%
Change from 2016
+3.2pp
1,738
36.5%
+3.2pp
Not Stated
2021 count
409
% of total
8.6%
Change from 2016
-7.9pp
409
8.6%
-7.9pp
Unpaid childcare change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Provided Unpaid Child Care (All)
+332
+4.9pp
Cared For Own Child Ren
-193
-4.9pp
Cared For Other Child Ren
+407
+7.7pp
Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren
+120
+2.2pp
No Unpaid Child Care Provided
+220
+3.2pp
Not Stated
-341
-7.9pp
Data table
Unpaid childcare for West Arnhem (R). Unpaid childcare. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional NT.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | % | Regional NT% | Count | pp | |
| Provided Unpaid Child Care (All) | 2,611 | 54.9% | 36.2% | 2,279 | 50.0% | 34.4% | +332 | +4.9pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren | 765 | 16.1% | 18.4% | 958 | 21.0% | 19.2% | -193 | -4.9pp |
| Cared For Other Child Ren | 1,287 | 27.0% | 13.8% | 880 | 19.3% | 11.7% | +407 | +7.7pp |
| Cared For Own Child Ren And Other Child Ren | 564 | 11.9% | 3.9% | 444 | 9.7% | 3.5% | +120 | +2.2pp |
| No Unpaid Child Care Provided | 1,738 | 36.5% | 51.6% | 1,518 | 33.3% | 49.0% | +220 | +3.2pp |
| Not Stated | 409 | 8.6% | 12.3% | 750 | 16.5% | 16.6% | -341 | -7.9pp |
| Total | 4,758 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 4,555 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +203 | 0.0pp |